Like many Canadians, Shelagh Rogers lived much of her life largely unaware of the Indian Residential School system and the suffering of those subjected to it. While hosting a CBC series called Our Home and Native Land, Rogers interviewed people from several generations of an Indigenous family from Nanaimo, and subsequently befriended them. Through getting…

When is a blanket not a blanket? When it is a large-scale art installation, inspired by a woven Indigenous blanket and designed to tell the story of the painful legacy of Canada’s residential school system. The Witness Blanket, created by master carver and Kwagiulth artist Carey Newman (Ha-yalth-kingeme), is coming to the University of the…

The University of the Fraser Valley is once again offering students the opportunity to learn more about Stó:lō  territory and culture through the Lens of Empowerment Project. This time around (the second offering of this project), the Lens Project will be comprised of a focused five-course learning experience that culminates with students producing their own…

For anyone new to academia, there’s a bit of confusion and trepidation. Why do the professors wear those gowns at Convocation? How do you know when and where to apply for a scholarship? What’s a graduate degree? For Aboriginal students, the gap between their worldview and mainstream academic culture can be even wider. Throw in decades…

After most classes ended in May, the work of one small group of students continued. For the first time last year, UFV introduced a three-course project called the Lens of Empowerment.  The students worked with digital photography and video production, then used these skills to dive into specific topics related to women and identity in…

Three outstanding UFV employees were honoured recently in the inaugural Employee Excellence awards. The awards recognize and celebrate employees who have inspired others through their outstanding achievement within the university and/or their community. Hope centre coordinator Hilary Kennedy, senior advisor on indigenous affairs Shirley Hardman of Chilliwack, and political science professor Rita Dhamoon, based at…

Give people the tools to express what they see, and you never know what they’ll show you. That is the idea behind the Lens of Empowerment project, a three-course program undertaken by 11 UFV students that examines the lives and experiences of women in Stó:lō territory. Part of the inspiration for this project came from…

Three outstanding UFV employees were honoured recently in the inaugural Employee Excellence awards. The awards recognize and celebrate employees who have inspired others through their outstanding achievement within the university and/or their community. Hope centre coordinator Hilary Kennedy, senior advisor on indigenous affairs Shirley Hardman of Chilliwack, and political science professor Rita Dhamoon, based at…

An event highlighting different ways to incorporate indigenization into the classroom was held on Thurs,Feb 2 at UFV in Abbotsford. Indigenizing our Academy: Voices from the Inside Out took place on Thursday. The all-day event was an opportunity to discuss, share ideas and learn about indigenization. “An event like this is important for many reasons,”…

  UFV recently joined more than 50 faculties of education across Canada in signing an Accord on Indigenous Education. The accord was signed to acknowledge the institutional awareness of aboriginal education issues and highlight a commitment to promoting integration of indigenous knowledge within teacher education programs. “This won’t be an on-the-shelf document, but a living…